title: Adjuvant activity of type I interferons.
abstract: Type I interferons (IFNs) produced primarily by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) as part of the innate immune response to infectious agents induce the maturation of myeloid DCs and enhance antigen presentation. Type I IFNs also enhance apoptosis of virus-infected cells, stimulate cross priming and enhanced presentation of viral peptides. Type I IFNs are powerful polyclonal B-cell activators that induce a strong primary humoral immune response characterized by isotype switching and protection against virus challenge. Type I IFNs stimulate an IgG2a antibody response characteristic of Th1 immunity when ad-mixed with influenza virus vaccine and injected intramuscurarly (i.m.) or administered intranasally. The adjuvant activity of type I IFNs has been shown to involve direct effects of IFN on B-cells, effects on T-cells, as well as effects on antigen presentation. Oromucosal administration of type I IFNs concomitantly with i.m. injection of vaccine alone can also enhance the antibody response to influenza vaccination by enhancing trafficking of antigen-presenting cells towards the site of vaccination. Recombinant IFNs are potent adjuvants that may find application in both parenterally and mucosally administered vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Oncology, FRE2937 CNRS, Institut André Lwoff, 7 rue Guy-Moquet, F-94801 Villejuif, France. tovey@vjf.cnrs.fr
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Tovey
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lallemand
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thyphronitis
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000187:drug effects; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007370:Interferon Type I